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Sew a handbag that exudes an exotic, Far East style.

Heavy silk-faced brocade and an ingenious use of chopsticks give this variation on a simple tote a striking and mysterious air. This project includes:

Step-by-step instructions
A complete list of everything you’ll need
Helpful illustrations and pattern schematic diagram

Getting Started

To make this handbag, purchase a classic tote sewing pattern and then modify the pattern using the instructions in this project. If you’re particularly industrious, you can enlarge the schematic found at the end of instructions to make your own customized pattern.

This bag isn’t lined, so it’s a fantastic project for beginners. The strap handles have been replaced with chopsticks—a perfect match for the Asian theme of the fabric. They’re sewn on in the final step.

Useful Tips for Sewing Projects

Ask the good folks at your fabric or crafts store for advice if you’re unfamiliar with the properties of the fabric that interests you. Tell them what you want to make using the fabric, and ask if they have any advice about sewing with the fabric you’ve chosen. The same applies for interfacings too.
Prewash all the fabrics you're using that are washable.
Press the fabric before you cut out the pieces for your handbag.
Cut all the pieces on the lengthwise grain if possible; crosswise is okay, too, if the amount of your fabric is limited.
Test dressmaker’s pencils or marking pens on a scrap of your fabric to make sure they don't adversely affect it before using them in earnest.
Before beginning work, check the tension on your sewing machine by using it on a swatch of your fabric. Make sure you have the needle size right.
Make a practice “mistake." Some materials don’t leave you any room for error: if you stitch a seam and then have to rip it out, the needle holes remain. Leather, suede, and novelty nonwoven fabrics (like vinyl) fall into this category. Before you sew, it’s a good idea to do a test seam on a scrap and then try to remove it to see how your fabric responds.
Test all your new techniques on a scrap piece of your fabric before you commit to incorporating them into your handbag.

Skill Level

Beginner

Materials

Pattern for a tote bag
Silk-faced brocade fabric (with Chinese characters or graphics, if possible), 1⁄2 yard (46 cm)
Buckram, 1⁄4 yard (23 cm)
Fusible interfacing, 1⁄2 yard (46 cm)
Chopsticks